


Now That I See You

by Darkangel4066



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Bee Allergies, But She's Engaged to Poe, Doctor Ben Solo, F/M, Kind of a Hallmark Plot, Light Angst, Oh no!, Reylo endgame, emergency room visits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:00:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25554709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkangel4066/pseuds/Darkangel4066
Summary: Former besties Ben and Rey find each other after eight years apart.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 10
Kudos: 20





	Now That I See You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LadyRhi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyRhi/gifts).



> A huge thank you to Nancylovesreylo for the beta!
> 
> Moodboard by [AlwaysEverlark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysEverlark/pseuds/AlwaysEverlark).

“Hey...what’s wrong with your face?” The owner of the voice did not even try to hide their curiosity. 

Rey scrunched down in the waiting room seat in response, wishing she had thought to put a paper bag over her head. “I got stung by a yellow jacket,” she mumbled through swollen lips. 

The nurse clucked to herself as she scribbled on her iPad with her stylus. “I didn’t do it on purpose!” Rey huffed. “I was attacked,” she tried to say, but her words were slurred by lips that looked like they’d had too much botox. 

“Any difficulty breathing? Pain?” The nurse had become all business. Her initial question forgotten, she was now perfectly professional. “Come on back.” She gestured for Rey to follow. 

Rey was led to a small cubicle in the emergency room behind a curtain. “Miss Niima, how long has your face been swollen like this?” 

“Oh, a couple of hours. I thought ice would help, but it hasn’t gone down at all,” Rey said, distressed. She tried to widen her eyes, but they remained almost swollen shut. If it hadn’t been for her friend Rose, she would never have made it to the hospital. She would’ve had to walk. 

The nurse smiled. “The doctor will be in soon.” She made a few more notes and left the room. 

Rey sat on the examination table and slumped. “I can’t believe this!” She made a frustrated sound, half growl, half scream. 

The curtains moved and a hand appeared at the edge as the doctor entered the room. Rey was startled. She had seen him somewhere before and if she could just see properly, she would know exactly where. 

“Miss Niima?” The tall, dark-haired doctor studied her face. “You were stung?” he asked in a neutral but comforting voice. 

“Yes, by a yellow jacket.” She barely managed to get the words out—the swelling must be getting worse. Rey whimpered miserably. 

The doctor’s deep voice took on a note of concern. “Are you feeling any pain?” He placed his fingertips under her chin and lifted her face to the light. 

“No, it’s just getting worse,” she almost cried. 

She heard the doctor pull up a stool. “Hold still,” he said and took her arm. “This might sting for a moment.”

Rey felt a sharp sting in her upper arm as he injected her with something. She felt instantly better. 

“Let’s give that a few moments and see if it helps,” The doctor sounded so familiar with that note of amusement in his voice that she found herself racking her brain once more. Where had she seen and heard this doctor before? 

After a while, she could move her mouth easier and her eyes could almost open. She glanced over at the doctor who was sitting watching her intently. 

He stood to his full height, dark hair curling around his collar, forcing Rey to look up. “Feeling better? Is it easier to see and speak? You look very much improved.” The doctor’s voice sounded pleased. 

Rey blinked up at him and he came into focus.  Whiskey eyes stared down at her from a pale face dotted with a constellation of moles, and strong features that shouldn't work as well as they did. The amused smile currently gracing his plush lips did...things to her and she flushed slightly. “Yes, I’m much better now,” she agreed, embarrassed by her reaction to him. 

“I want you to stay here for a little while longer, just until the swelling goes down more. And I’m going to recommend you carry an EpiPen just in case this happens again. The nurse will take care of it,” he said. “Any questions?” 

“No, none. Thank you,” Rey answered. 

“OK, have a better day, Rey.” He turned and strode out of the cubicle, leaving her dumbfounded. And then she remembered - “Ben!” she gasped. She hadn’t seen her friend since they’d graduated from high school eight years ago. He looked  _ good _ . 

The nurse arrived about a half-hour later to check on her. “Feeling better?” she asked. 

“Yes, much,” Rey answered. 

“Dr. Solo wants you to have a prescription. What pharmacy would you like it sent to?” the nurse asked and Rey rattled off the name of the pharmacy closest to her apartment, thoughts straying to Ben. 

*

Ben was glad to get away. He was thrilled to have seen his old friend once again. He had often wondered what she was doing...how she was doing...who...his thoughts trailed off. He used to know all those things and more about her. Growing up, he’d been her constant companion. 

He’d always wanted to be more than he was to her. She thought him a friend, but he had adored her. Maybe he still did.

Seeing her with her face swollen, he’d still recognized her instantly and had been disappointed when she didn’t remember him. In her defense, he reminded himself that her eyes  _ were _ nearly swollen shut.

The last time he’d seen her had been graduation and she’d promised to write. But the letters never came and he could never get through to her on the phone. They lost touch and he never got the chance to tell her how he felt. Now maybe he would have a second chance because she was here. In the same town. With him. 

He knew that if he could just see her again, outside of the hospital, they could get reacquainted. Maybe even become friends again. He was hopeful even though he knew the chances were slim. After all, he hadn’t seen her around before she came to the hospital. 

He sighed, running a hand through his hair and rubbing his face.  _ Maybe, someday _ , he thought, hanging his white coat in his locker.  _ Maybe, someday _ . 

  
  


*

Rey wasn’t sure how to go about locating Ben again. She knew she probably shouldn’t—it would just stir up old memories for him. She was certain that he’d wanted to forget her, since he never called or wrote.Then she’d changed her number and had lost all hope of getting in touch with him again.

She grew more determined the closer she and Rose got to her apartment. 

“What is with you?” Rose asked quietly. “You’re acting like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

“I saw Ben.” Her voice was almost inaudible. 

“Ben? At the hospital?” Rose didn’t bother to hide her surprise.

“Yes. He’s a  _ doctor _ now,” Rey said, crossing her arms in front of her and slumping in her seat. 

“Did he recognize you? Tell me he didn’t recognize you,” Rose said. 

Rey only nodded. “I’m pretty sure he did,” she confirmed. 

“Did he ask about your engagement?” Rose was curious. 

“I don’t think he noticed,” Rey answered quickly. She wanted Rose to mind her own business and forget about Ben, which is exactly what  _ she _ needed to do. Her reactions to Ben and her train of thought were unacceptable. She was marrying her high school sweetheart, Poe Dameron, next month and that was  _ all _ she should be thinking about.

Poe was two years older than Rey and had been the star wide receiver on the varsity football team. He had played a little in college but had decided that a career as a lawyer and youth coach was a better fit. 

Rey felt terrible about even considering finding Ben. 

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Rose tried to reassure her. “It’s ok, you know, if you want to find him and talk to him.” 

“It is?” Rey felt uncertain. 

“He was your best friend. It’s not like there was ever anything romantic going on between you,” Rose said, flippant. 

Rey hesitated. That was mostly true. “I know,” she said aloud. She did not say that Ben had given her her first kiss. They had shared everything. Practiced everything with each other.  _ Well, almost everything,  _ she silently amended.

The memory of his lips caused heat and wetness to pool at her core. Rey pressed her thighs together and tried to replace the thoughts of Ben with thoughts of Poe. It didn’t work. 

Rey found herself thinking about how Ben had changed. He had grown into his features, especially his ears. She had always loved his ears. And his  _ huge _ hands. 

She suppressed a shiver, hoping that Rose wouldn’t notice. 

“You cold or something?” Rose glanced at her quickly, worried. “Maybe I should take you back. If you have chills in this weather…” she trailed off. 

“No!” Rey almost shouted.  _ Although...going back might mean another visit with Ben _ . Shaking  _ that _ thought out of her head, she said, “I mean, no, thank you. I’m fine.” 

“OK, if you say so,” Rose sounded like she didn’t believe her. 

They drove the rest of the way to Rey’s apartment in silence. 

  
  


*

“Rey!” Poe called as he jogged up to Rose’s car to meet them. Opening the car door for her, he offered his hand to help her stand. Rey accepted it gratefully. 

She offered her fiance a small smile and kissed him lightly, still feeling a little guilty for the way she had thought about Ben earlier. 

“Are you feeling alright?” He held her away by the shoulders, eyes raking over her body in an attempt to reassure himself that all was well. 

“Yes,” Rey smiled up at him.

Rose looked at her expectantly from behind Poe, cocking an eyebrow. 

“The doctor…,” she paused, “took great care of me.” She gave Rose her best puppy eyes, pleading with her to forget about Ben. 

Poe was oblivious. “I’m so glad you’re alright. Who knew you were allergic to bees?” 

Rey shrugged. “I didn’t.” Now that she was with Poe, she was reminded of what a great man he was and how lucky she was to have the chance to spend the rest of her life with him. “Let’s go inside.” 

Waving goodbye to Rose, she twined her fingers with Poe’s and led him inside the building. 

Rey’s apartment was a complete mess. She hadn’t had the time to really clean it in the past few weeks. She’d left cabinets open and clothes all over the place; however, she had at least washed the dishes. 

Poe looked at the mess and laughed. “No time to clean up?” 

Rey threw him a sheepish look and started to frantically gather the articles of clothing strewn across her living room. Poe lifted a bra off of the lamp with his fingertip and cocked a brow at her. 

Rey couldn’t help but laugh as he slowly approached her, the bra swinging from his fingertips. She snatched it and added it to the pile of laundry in her arms, his laughter echoing through the apartment. 

Standing close, he leaned in. “Is this the only quirk you’re hiding from me?” he murmured close to her ear. 

Rey sighed, nodding. He stepped closer still, invading her space to place a kiss on her forehead. Then her nose. And to the corner of her mouth.

Finally, Rey laughed and, with hands on his broad chest, she shoved him away a little. 

He gathered her into his arms anyway and lifted her chin so that he could kiss her again. This time, she surrendered, allowing him to claim her lips. 

Poe’s hands traveled down her body and Rey imagined that it was Ben touching her. His hands slid around and squeezed her rear a little, and she pressed her hips closer. Arms raised, she allowed him to slip her shirt off. 

Lips attacked her throat, even as hands worked at the button of her jeans. 

She broke the kiss abruptly. “I can’t,” she said pressing against his chest with both hands. “Rain check?” 

“What’s wrong?” Poe’s expression was a mixture of confusion and concern. Her guilt intensified, but it was better than the possibility of accidentally uttering another man’s name during sex. 

“Nothing. I just...I’m not quite feeling myself yet,” Rey turned her eyes to his face, imploring him to understand. 

Poe nodded. “Of course, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed.” 

Rey sighed miserably. Now she’d gone and made him feel bad.

“Don’t feel bad, love. I should go to the office anyway, there’s a case file I forgot,” Poe said. He must have recognized the expression of guilt on her face. 

“OK. See you later?” Rey asked as Poe placed a gentle kiss on her temple. 

After he was gone, Rey retrieved her shirt and went into her bedroom to lie down for a little while. She didn’t feel well after all. 

  
  


*

Ben leaned against the side of his house in the Lagoons, pausing in his yard work to study the docks. They rolled with the waves on the river, lulling him into a thoughtless daydream where he and Rey were on his boat enjoying the sea. 

He really wanted to find her, if only to find out whether she was happy.  _ Is she married? _ His heart froze at the thought that he would never have the chance to win her over. He tried to think back to determine if she had worn a ring and came up with nothing. 

He fervently wished he had paid more attention. He’d been so focused on helping her fix the swelling in her face that he had missed anything that might have told him whether he had a chance with her—assuming he could even find her again. 

He had a problem. Did he wait until he accidentally bumped into her again, which could be never; or did he stalk her online to find out her phone number, and maybe the place he was most likely to find her? He knew the correct answer was to hope he saw her again, but that was not the route he wanted to use. 

This was too important to him and he couldn’t allow the opportunity to see her again to slip away. He could remember how her beautiful face had changed as she grew. She’d always been beautiful to him, even when she was late to bloom compared to other girls. She had always been his ideal. 

He remembered the day that she had asked him to kiss her. Logically, he knew that she just wanted help practicing for whatever guy she was convinced wanted to kiss her at the time, but his heart had soared just the same. 

He’d been an awkward teen, all legs and ears, but Rey had never seen that. She had been his biggest defender and it had only made him love her more. She’d always volunteered to be his lab partner and to be on his team. Together, they had been invincible. 

But, the day had come when she finally got her wish to date Poe Dameron, and Ben’s world had never been the same. 

Ben turned abruptly and headed into the large house. He had information to gather.  _ Perhaps _ , he thought, _ she’s listed in the white pages _ . 

  
  


*

As it turned out, she was not in the white pages, so either she was unlisted or she only had a cell phone. Ben growled in frustration. He really did  _ not _ want to actually pay for information about her. 

Sighing, he closed his laptop and decided to go to the grocery store. He needed a few things for dinner, deciding on impulse to go to the local grocery instead of his usual trip to Whole Foods. He didn’t feel like going very far anyway. 

As he entered the store, he froze. Rey was absorbed in examining avocados, probably looking for ripe ones in the bunch. Ben almost whooped. His luck seemed to have changed. 

He strolled up to her as casually as he could, giving him ample opportunity to study her face. Her nose was scrunched up in concentration as if picking the perfect avocado was a life-altering decision. 

He cleared his throat and she jumped a little in surprise, dropping the avocado. Ben reached out and caught it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said quietly. 

“Ben! Hi!” Rey smiled up at him. “Nice catch.”

He handed her the escaped avocado. “This one seems pretty ripe,” he said, smiling. 

“Umm, how have you been?” Rey asked as Ben studied her intently. 

“I’ve been pretty good. You look a lot better. All the swelling appears to have gone down,” Ben said after a moment. 

Rey blushed under his scrutiny. “Y-yes it has,” she stammered. 

He noticed that she was trying very hard not to look at him. He also noticed the engagement ring on her finger. “Oh, I see you’re getting married?” 

“Yes, Poe and I have been engaged for a little over a year.” Her voice steadied, sounding more confident. 

“Congratulations.” Ben’s heart withered a little, but a thought occurred to him.  _ We could still be friends _ . “Would you like to meet for coffee to catch up? You can tell me all about yourself. I’ve missed you.” He tried to smile encouragingly at her. 

“Well, I don’t see why I can’t,” she returned his smile. 

“Great! How about we meet at the Starbucks on Alderaan at, say,” he thought for a moment, “10 o’clock tomorrow?” He leveled a questioning gaze at her. 

“That sounds good; I’ll see you there,” she grinned at him warmly before turning her cart and heading in the direction of the frozen foods. 

Ben watched her go.  _ She’s getting married.  _ He would have to find a way to let go of his remaining feelings for her. He might just be in love with the  _ idea _ of her and not with her as a person. What did he know about her now anyway? 

His mind and heart held on to the thought of speaking with her again, whispering to him that friendship would be enough. 

*

“You’ll never believe who I saw at the store today,” Rey said as she finished adding fresh avocado to the club sandwiches she was making. 

“Who?” Poe asked, curious. 

“Ben,” she answered softly, unable to meet her fiance’s eyes. 

“Oh, and how is Benny boy doing? You two were close in school.” Poe didn’t seem bothered by the idea that she had run into an old friend. 

“Oh, he’s fine. He’s a doctor over at the hospital now.” Rey decided that the truth was the best way to go. 

Poe just nodded and returned to his copy of the  _ Wall Street Journal _ . 

She hesitated for another moment, deciding whether to tell him about the coffee date. Not that it was an actual date. It was just two friends meeting, right? She drew a deep, calming breath. “I’m meeting him for coffee tomorrow morning. To catch up.” 

“Oh?” Poe seemed unconcerned. “That’s good. It’s kind of sad that you lost touch when he left for Yale. Maybe you can rekindle your friendship?” 

Rey let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “You don’t mind?” 

“Of course not.” Poe looked up from the paper. “Why would I?” 

“Oh. No particular reason,” she hedged. 

“It’s not like you’re going to run off with him,” Poe said. 

“Yeah,” Rey agreed, laughing nervously. She was a little surprised. Poe seemed not to care that she was going to see her old friend.  _ But he doesn’t know you still have feelings for him _ , she thought guiltily. 

She resolved that this coffee date would be the last time she saw Ben Solo. 

  
  


*

“Rey? Is there something you’re not telling me?” Rose asked. She must have noticed how very distracted Rey had been these past two weeks, catching her smiling often at nothing. 

Rey hesitated. “I’ve been meeting Ben,” she admitted. “Just a coffee date at first, but then we’ve been talking more and more.” 

Rose hummed. “That doesn’t sound so bad. I’m glad you two are catching up.” 

“No, Rose. I…” 

“You’re not having doubts are you?” Rose was alarmed. 

“N-no! I don’t think so…” But she was. Seeing Ben stirred up all kinds of feelings in her and she knew that the right thing to do would be to back off, say her goodbyes, and stay away from him—but she couldn’t. She couldn’t muster the willpower necessary to do any of those things. It made her want to scream at the injustice of it. 

“It’s OK if you do have some doubts. It’s natural to have cold feet,” Rose said gently. 

_ I don’t have cold feet, _ Rey thought, shaking her head. “I know,” she answered aloud. Actually, she felt trapped and kind of panicked. She wanted to explore this new thing with Ben, but there was no  _ time _ . If only she had more time to think. The wedding was in two weeks and Poe had been scarce, or maybe it was  _ she _ who had been too involved with her inner struggle to pay him the attention he deserved. She wasn’t sure. 

“Trust me. It’ll pass,” Rose intoned reassuringly.

Privately, Rey disagreed. “OK,” she hesitantly agreed. Could she push back her feelings for Ben? She didn’t know for sure, but she had to try. Poe had always been good to her. 

  
  


*

“Hey, Rey,” Ben sat up a little straighter when she arrived at the beach for their daily meeting.  _ Their date,  _ Ben thought. He recognized it for what it was, though he tried to keep up the appearance of just being her friend. So far, they had done nothing wrong, but it would be so easy to cross that invisible line between friends and lovers.  _ I won’t cause her to cheat _ , he silently resolved. 

“Hi,” Rey looked a little sad. 

“Are you excited for your wedding?” Ben asked, trying to get her to perk up. 

“Of course,” she said, sounding less than enthused. “I just…” 

“It’s alright,” Ben kept his voice light. “You don’t have to be thrilled all the time.” 

Rey smiled then. “You should come to the wedding,” she blurted out. 

“It’s nice of you to invite me, but I’ll be working at the hospital,” he finished lamely. He really had no desire to watch the love of his life marry another.

Rey nodded silently and he understood. There was nothing to say. 

He was going to lose her in less than a week. Of course, how can you lose something you never had? 

  
  


*

Rey was near tears as Rose helped her into her wedding dress. She didn’t understand it. Shouldn’t she be happy? She was in love, just not with her husband-to-be. 

“Smile, Rey. You’re getting married today,” Rose murmured encouragingly. 

“I’m getting married today,” Rey whispered as she gazed into the full-length mirror, watching Rose add the veil to her hair. 

A knock sounded at the door and Rose hurried to answer it. Finn Storm, the best man, stood on the other side of the door with a strained smile on his face. They spoke softly for a moment. 

“Take some deep breaths and I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Rose said before exiting the room with Finn. 

Rey took a few deep breaths, waiting. 

*

Rey was just getting ready to poke her head outside the door when a knock startled her. “Who is it?” She said, pausing with her hand on the knob. 

“It’s me,” Poe said from the other side of the door. “Can I come in?” 

“Ummm...It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, you know.” Rey tried to sound cheerful as she opened the door, allowing him inside.

“Is everything...I mean,” he paused, sighing. “Do you  _ want  _ to get married?” 

“What?” Rey almost tripped over her train. “What do you mean?” 

“Do you want to get married? Because if you do, I will go to that altar and wait for you to march up that aisle. But, if you don’t…” he trailed off. 

“I don’t understand.” Rey’s brow furrowed. “You don’t want to marry me?” She felt so confused. 

“I didn’t say that,” he said in a rush. “I just…” He looked down at his shoes. 

“Oh my God. Are you seeing someone?” Rey asked curiously, wondering whether she hadn’t been to only one to find something they didn’t know they needed. 

“Not really. Not yet. I-You seemed so unhappy this past month. You never seemed as happy as other brides I’ve ever seen and I always kind of wondered,” Poe admitted, scuffing his shoe. 

“What about all the guests and...everything?” She felt lost, trapped, as she slowly lowered herself into a chair. But a spark of hope had ignited inside of her. 

“Look, we’ll deal with that together. They don’t matter. What matters is whether you are truly happy with me.” Poe gazed at her, searching her face for the answer. 

Rey drew a deep breath, wrapping her arms around herself for comfort. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. 

Poe nodded and murmured so softly that she almost didn’t hear. “Oh, thank God.” He grinned at her. Louder, he said, “Are we doing this? Canceling?” 

“We are,” Rey said, suddenly feeling light-hearted and free. 

She took the arm he offered and they set off together. 

  
  


*

“What are you doing?” Rose hissed at them as they reached the sanctuary doors. Finn, who was standing beside her, looked apprehensive. 

Poe winked at them. “The wedding is off.” 

Finn looked strangely relieved at the news, while Rose looked apoplectic.

“What? When did this happen? Are you two crazy?” Rose cried, irritated. 

Rey looked at Poe and they grinned simultaneously. She shrugged. “Maybe.” 

Rose slumped a little. “Are you going to tell your guests?” 

“Absolutely,” Poe said happily. “And then, Rey has somewhere she needs to be.” 

Rey looked startled for a moment. “Yes, I do.” Her heart leaped; she was looking forward to telling Ben. He had been holding back this whole time, she was sure of it. 

Rose glanced between Rey and Poe. “Well, if nobody is getting married, we’d better go tell the priest soon...and the guests.” 

“We?” Rey questioned.

“Well, you don’t think I’d let you face this alone, do you?” Rose said sternly and Finn nodded in agreement. 

Poe and Rey just grinned. 

*

Ben was already getting ready to see his tenth patient when a nurse burst into the room, breathless. “Doctor? Can I speak to you for a moment?” 

Ben excused himself and stepped out to her. “What is it?” Ben was confused. 

“When you get a minute, come to the waiting room. There’s someone here for you.” She smiled as if she was privy to some secret. 

Curiosity piqued, Ben went back to the patient who was already on a nebulizer for his bad asthma attack to check on his progress. 

Leaving the patient area, Ben headed toward the waiting area. He didn’t see her, at first, because he was looking at the nurse’s station. He turned and was greeted by a vision in white and the beautiful, smiling face of the woman he’d loved since the moment he’d met her. She was radiant, liquid brown eyes alight with her joy. Ben was blinded by her beauty and yet couldn’t look away. 

His jaw dropped. “Rey, shouldn’t you be at your wedding?” His brow was furrowed in confusion and concern. 

“The wedding is off. Poe let me go,” she said softly. He had to strain to hear. 

“You called off your wedding?” Ben was flabbergasted.  _ Why would she do that? _ His heart started to race and a new hope blossomed, spreading warmth throughout his body. 

“Not just me...Poe too. I think he’s in love with someone else too.” She glanced up at him and took a step in his direction. 

“Too?”  _ What was she saying?  _ Ben stared intently at her, trying to divine the answer. 

“I love you. I’ve loved you since high school. Remember when I asked you to kiss me?” Ben nodded. “Before even that,” she continued. “When I lost touch with you, I thought you were gone from my life, but then I got stung...and there you were. I’ll understand if you’re not interested…” 

Ben took three long strides toward her and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off her feet and effectively stopping her from saying more. He held Rey for a moment, cradling the back of her head in his large hand. 

He allowed Rey to pull away slightly, gazing down at her. Leaning down, he kissed her lips lightly. “Rey, I love you too,” was all he could say, grinning.


End file.
